


Fire and Shadow

by raosborne8991



Category: The Dragon Prince (Cartoon)
Genre: M/M, Tinkaan, also i'm bad with additional tags, forgive me if i'm using them wrong, idk he just seems like a sunfire elf to me, smol rayla, sunfire elf!tinker
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-04
Updated: 2019-05-15
Packaged: 2020-01-04 19:55:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 11,228
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18350609
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/raosborne8991/pseuds/raosborne8991
Summary: After an assassination attempt goes wrong, Runaan has ventured into Sunfire Elf territory to find resources for his group of assassins. He knows there’s high tension between the Moonshadow and Sunfire Elves, but his team needs food and medicine… especially a certain little one who shouldn’t have followed along. He’s willing to do whatever it takes, so he’ll risk getting caught. Unfortunately for Runaan, he gets caught, but not by any warriors; by a craftsman. The craftsman takes him and the assassins in temporarily and helps them. And  both Runaan and this Sunfire Elf are quite taken with each other. Taken enough to risk sneaking a couple more visits? Possibly…(Basically a chance for me to fangirl and imagine how Runaan and Tinker met and whatnot.)





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Just as a point of reference, Tinker will be used as the Necklace Elf's name until the TDP staff or writers release a proper name, or otherwise confirm Tinker to be the proper name. When that reveal happens, I'll probably go back and rework names, or just use the proper name going forward; probably the latter, but we'll see.

“Runaan, I don’t think we can go another day like this.”

“I know,” Runaan said, looking over his team. They’d gone a couple days without food and most of their weapons were busted from their latest mission. Rayla was in particularly bad shape; she’d tried to help and had gotten injured in the process, and she was still so young.

“What are we going to do?” one of them asked. “Rayla needs medical attention and we need food.”

“I’ll go looking for resources, wherever they might be,” Runaan said.

The whole group gasped in unison, save for the unconscious Rayla lying in the shade of a tree.

“Runaan, you can’t be serious!”

“We’re in _Sunfire_ territory!”

“You know there’s tension between us and them, don’t you!”

“Believe me, I know. I wouldn’t make this decision if I didn’t have to. But we’re down on our luck and we need supplies and food. Rayla can’t go much further like this.”

They all turned back to Rayla, still unconscious, her head wrapped in what little bandages they had available. She was lucky she didn’t lose a horn.  

“I promised her parents I’d keep her safe while they’re off being Dragon Guard. I won’t go far, I swear. Keep an eye out for any Sunfires and if they attack, run.”

Before the group could protest anymore, he was off, up in the trees, scanning the areas below him for decent food. He wasn’t as familiar with the flora and fauna in this part of Xadia yet, but he figured it wouldn’t be too hard to find some moonberries or something.

 

~~~~~~~

 

“Not _one_ moonberry bush‽ You gotta be kiddin’ me!”

He’d been searching for food for an hour and a half now and Runaan was starting to get frustrated.

Rayla needed medicine. His team needed food and supplies. How could he not find either?

_Blasted Sunfires._ .. he thought, _making things difficult for passing assassins_.

He climbed up another tree to survey the area, but still nothing that looked familiar. He was starting to get worried.

He heard a door shut in the distance and the first thing he thought was that he was near some kind of village or town. Runaan didn't really like stealing, but if it meant his survival and the survival of his team, then he'd do it.

He found a workshop not too far away and saw someone leaving it; a Sunfire Elf. And from the looks of her, she looked like she was one of Elves that worked on the border. She was leaving with an armful of supplies and other materials. He figured whoever owned this place was some kind of blacksmith or general store owner.

_Should be pretty easy to grab some basic supplies_ , he thought.

He waited until the Sunfire Elf was well out the way and off far enough into the woods before he made his move.

He moved over a couple of trees and jumped down, landing on the slanted tin roof. It wobbled a little and sunk a tad with his added weight. He took a couple careful steps towards the chimney, but the roof creaked and sunk more. Runaan paused…

And that was a mistake.

The roof caved in and he fell and landed on something hard. A table. A worktable. Tools were strewn all over the floor and a doorway that led into another room.

The fall hurt. Really bad. Coupled with his sustained injuries from battle, it wasn’t looking or feeling pretty. He took a moment sitting up and getting off the worktable, brushing off dust and other material off him from the fall.

He rubbed his head and looked around. It was a workshop all right. Weapons lined  one wall and there was other stuff in jars on another. He was so wrapped up in the stuff in the workshop, he almost didn’t notice the Sunfire Elf standing in the doorway to another room, holding a Sunforged spear. 

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Runaan makes a deal and his teammates learn a bit about the Sunfire Elf that's helping them.

Runaan and the Sunfire Elf were just staring at each other, surprised. Neither knew what to do, but at Runaan knew the odds weren’t in his favor. He wasn’t armed; his weapon had gotten destroyed in the battle, and he knew he probably couldn’t out fight the other Elf. Plus the spear he was holding was Sunforged, one wrong move and he’d lose a limb… or his head. 

“Who are you and what’re you doing in my workshop?” the Elf asked, holding the spear tighter. 

Runaan put up his hands to show he wasn’t a threat. “My name is Runaan, I’m a Moonshadow Elf…” 

“I can tell you’re a Moonshadow, what’re you doing here?” 

“My comrades and I were on a mission and it didn’t end well. Almost all of our weapons are broken or destroyed and we have no food.” 

“How do I know you’re not a thief?” the Sunfire Elf asked. 

“I promise, I’m not.” Runaan sighed. He didn’t want to have to ask a Sunfire Elf for help, but he wasn’t really in a position to bargain. “We also need medicine. Our youngest got hit in the head and she’s bleeding a lot. We don’t have enough bandages to get her home. We just need help.”  

The Elf lowered the spear a little bit. “What do you and your comrades do for a living?” 

“We’re…” Runaan there was no comfortable way around this. “... assassins.” 

The spear came back up and inched closer to Runaan’s nose. “Not in my workshop...” 

“I’m not armed and I don’t even have a reason to kill you!” Runaan said, panicking. “Just… please, our youngest could be dying and I’m responsible for taking care of her. We just need food and medicine and we’ll be out of your hair, I promise.” 

The Elf paused. “How old is she?” 

Runaan swallowed the lump in his throat. “She’s eight.” 

The Elf sighed and put down the spear. “Food and medicine.” 

“Food and medicine.” Runaan said. “That’s all.” 

The Elf offered his hand to help Runaan up off the ground. “Where are they? Let’s bring them back here.” 

Runaan nodded and accepted the outstretched hand. 

 

~~~~~~~ 

 

“Here she is,” Runaan said, carrying Rayla in the front door of the workshop. She was bleeding through the bandages more than before. 

“Good heavens,” the Elf said, leading Runaan to a separate room. There was a simple bed and Runaan laid Rayla down on it. The Elf brought fresh bandages and a bottle into the room. 

“Think you can help her?” 

“Yeah, help me get the bandages off.” 

They unraveled the blood-soaked bandages and found the wound in her head. The Elf got a rag and wiped away the excess blood. He took the bottle he brought in and popped it open, getting a small dab of some kind of cream on his hand. He smeared it over the wound and held his other hand over it. 

“What are you doing?” Runaan asked. 

“Nothing much, I’m just gonna cauterize it a little to help stop the bleeding.” 

The assassin didn’t like the sound of that. “Ok, I’m all for you helping her, but not if it hurts her...” 

“It’s not, the ointment I put on is a fast-working anesthetic; she won’t feel a thing, promise.” The Elf’s hand began to glow and he ran a finger over the injury. The heat radiating from his hand closed the wound partially before Rayla twitched a bit. “There we go, that should stop the bleeding.” 

Runaan helped the Elf wrap Rayla’s head in fresh bandages and made sure she was comfortable. He took her small hand and gave it a small squeeze. “It’s gonna be ok Rayla,” he whispered. 

The Elf stood up and headed for the door. “C’mon, I’ll show you where the pantry is.” 

 

~~~~~~~

 

Before too much longer, Runaan and the other assassins were chowing down on Sunfire Elf food. 

“This is… actually really good.” one of them said. 

“Didn’t expect Sunfires to be good cooks,” another said. 

“Wait, you guys are saying you’ve never had solfood before?” the Elf asked. 

Runaan paused before taking another bite. “We didn’t really know that was a thing.” 

“You guys are missing out. There’s Backfat, which is the fat off the back of Sun Boars in and around these woods, it’s really yummy; there’s also Sun Hog’s feet, Hog Hock, fried Sunfish, Bloodcake…” 

“ **_Bloodcake‽_ ** ” the group of assassins repeated in terrified unison. 

“Relax, we actually use moonberries to color it. Sunfire Elf territory doesn’t have any berries that match in color or taste, so we added it to the trade list generations back. I thought you guys knew about that.” the Elf replied, taking another bite. 

“It’s not really our job to know the relations between the different Elves.” Runaan said. 

“No, your job is to kill assigned people,” the Elf said, plainly but with enough salt in his voice to get a glaring reaction from mostly everyone else. 

One of them stood up, the other girl in the group. “We’re out there keeping’ everyone else in Xadia safe. Our lives are on the line while you play around in here. We’ve only got our wits and weapons.” 

“And who do you think _made_ those weapons?” the Elf asked, looking up at her, but not in a patronizing way. “Also, from what I recall, the Sunfires on the border are also keeping everyone in Xadia safe.” 

The girl backed off, but still glared at him. 

“Wait, do you mean you made the weapons we use?” one of the others asked. “I thought they were all made in Moonshadow territory.” 

“That’s also part of the trade agreement. Moonberries aren’t the only things our peoples exchange. This isn’t just a workshop for making magic toys, that big area in the back is the forge. I help make weapons for warriors from all the Elven societies, not just mine. People have brought me pieces of different weaponry from different places over the years, and I’ve learned how to forge in the style of other Elves. I’ve made Sunforged swords, Skywing spears, Oceandepth tridents, the works. You may be out there killing to keep the peace, but craftsmen like me make sure you’re able to do your job in the first place.” 

A silence fell over the room. The assassins relaxed and went back to their food. 

Runaan, however, was thinking of something else. 

 

~~~~~~~ 

 

“If you can forge weapons, I’m guessing that means you can repair damaged ones?” 

Runaan was helping the Elf clean up after dinner, the other assassins outside sleeping in the trees, taking turns with watch. 

“As I recall, our deal was food and medicine only,” the Elf said. 

Runaan sighed. That had been the agreement. "I know, but we really need to..." 

"Hey, I’m kidding. Don't sweat it man, I'll help," the Elf said, smiling. 

Runaan blinked a couple times to make sure he heard right. He even picked at his ear. "You're... you're gonna help?" 

"Yeah. Don't worry about paying either, this one's on the house." 

"You're sure?" Runaan asked. 

The Elf nodded. "I'm sorry about that confrontation earlier. Some other Moonshadows broke in here a couple months back and tried to steal some of the weapons I'd made." 

"I'm sorry that happened." 

"It's in the past. I'm more sorry for you and your team. And the little one... what was her name again?" 

"Rayla." 

"Rayla. Brave little thing. Awfully lucky, too. Not that many adults could survive a blow to the head like that. I'm guessing her being with you guys was an accident?" 

"She followed us out. Snuck away. Wanted to see what being an assassin was all about. Up close where the action was." 

"She's not an assassin yet?"

"Still in combat training. It's funny; she's the youngest and yet she has the most potential. She's probably the best one." 

"Is she your daughter?" 

"What?  _ No _ , nononononono. Her parents are in the Dragon Guard, I'm just her guardian." 

“Ok. Well, she’s lucky she’s got someone like you who cares.” 

Runaan smiled, the first time since the team had been defeated. “What’s your name?” he asked. 

“Sorry?” 

“If someone’s helping me and my team, I should at least know who they are.” 

The Elf smiled. “Just call me Tinker,” he said. 

Runaan quirked an eyebrow. “Tinker?” 

Tinker shrugged. “My cousin gave me that nickname and it stuck.” 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hhghghghghghhhghhghghgghghgh
> 
> Sorry this took longer to put out. School's been kicking my ass and personal garbage recently came up and it's been weird two weeks. 
> 
> Also, a couple quick little things, Oceandepth is not the official name of the Ocean elves, that's just my personal headcanon of what they might be called because the ocean is deep and mysterious and the official website says creatures connected to the ocean arcanum are said to have "hidden depths" or something along those lines. 
> 
> Additionally, I looked up actual soul food to pull off the pun; some of the foods Tinker listed are the actual names, some are just rearranged to make it sound different. If I missed any that would've been cool, lemme know in the comments and I'll try and work it into the fic later on.
> 
> With all that said, I hope you all enjoyed the chapter and have an awesome day!!!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tinker starts working and he and Runaan talk. Rayla wakes up and Tinker decides to be a little...theatrical

Runaan brought in the other assassins to check the damage on their weapons. The blades were all cracked, or broken off completely; some that had managed to hold on already had pieces falling off and most of the handles were busted, too. 

“Think you can repair them all?” Runaan asked. 

Tinker looked over the weapon with observant, trained eyes. “The handles can be saved, but I think they’re all due for new blades.” 

“How fast can you forge new ones?” one of the assassins asked. 

“Shouldn’t take too long. I’m gonna have to work through the night and it’ll take me most of tomorrow, but it’s doable. You’ll also need to describe the general shapes of the blades so I can draw up designs.” 

“Sorry to make you work so hard,” Runaan said. 

“Nah, it’s alright. Just… promise you won’t cut my throat in my sleep once these are done and we’ll be good.” 

Runaan grinned. “Fair deal.” 

 

~~~~~~~ 

 

“How long have you been working here?” Runaan asked. He was sitting in a corner of Tinker’s forge, watching the Sunfire Elf make measurements and select materials. 

“Oh, roughly ten years. Took over from Pops when he got sick,” Tinker replied. 

“I’m sorry to hear that.” 

“It’s ok. He and Mum taught me everything I know, and it’s been useful so far. Pops was the magic guy, Mum was the weapon maker.” 

“That’s interesting.” 

“Yeah, what about you? Any family you’re going back to?” 

“No, not really. Parents were assassins and… yeah.” 

“Oh, I’m sorry.” 

“It’s ok. They did their job.” 

A small silence fell over them as Tinker started working on repairing and replacing the broken blades. 

“Maybe that’s why you were so concerned about Rayla,” Tinker said. “Maybe it’s not because you’re her guardian, but maybe you see her as the only family you’ve got left.” 

Runaan didn’t respond, but let that sink in. Tinker was probably right. He did care about Rayla, more than a typical guardian. Not enough to be a father-daughter like relationship, but more like… uncle-niece? 

“ _ Runaan… _ ” a voice said from the other room. 

“She awakens,” Tinker said in a dramatic tone, sticking a piece of metal into the fire. 

Runaan grinned and got up. He found Rayla sitting on the bed, holding her head, looking dizzy. 

“Runaan, where are we?” she asked. “What happened?” 

“You got hurt pretty badly. We found a workshop owner to take us in until our weapons are repaired.” 

“Are they nice?” 

Runaan took a moment and helped Rayla lay back down and tucked her in. “Yes, little one. They’re nice. Now get some rest.” 

 

~~~~~~~

 

“ _ Hey, Runaan… _ ” 

Runaan slowly opened his eyes, not realizing he’d fallen asleep. He was still in the bedroom with Rayla still asleep on the bed. Tinker was knelt down on the floor next to him. 

“I need your help with something,” the Sunfire said. 

“Whaddya need?” Runaan asked, his voice heavy and deeper with sleep. 

“I’m almost done with most of your buddie’s weapons, but I need someone to help work the bellows. Think you can give me a hand?” 

Runaan tiredly nodded and slowly got up, trying to wake himself up and not wake Rayla at the same time. 

“How exactly do bellows work?” Runaan asked when Tinker led him to the forge. The intense warmth of the room was working at waking him up more. 

“Easy, see that pump over there?” Tinker replied, pointing over to the furnace. “That’s what it is. You just need to keep pressing down on it at a steady pace. It helps stoke the fire in the furnace to heat up the metal. Think you can do it?” 

“Seems easy enough,” the Moonshadow replied. 

 

~~~~~~~ 

 

“I take back what I said,” Runaan grunted. “This isn’t easy.” 

In order for him to get the right amount of air into the furnace, the assassin had one foot up on a table and the other foot on the bellows, shifting his weight from one foot to the other to get more air into the bellows for the next blow. His legs ached and it was difficult to keep up.  

Tinker was off at the anvil, pounding some heated metal flat with a hammer, the steel singing with each strike. “I figured it wouldn’t be. But, frankly, you’re the only one I trust at this moment. No offense to your friends or the little one.” 

“It’s alright,” Runaan huffed out and shifted his weight to the foot on the bellows.  _ If anything, this is a good leg workout. Getting back home on foot will be a bitch and a half though _ , he thought .

“Just a couple more pumps… there! That should do it.” Tinker grabbed some forge tongs and lifted the piece of burning hot metal out of the fire an over to the anvil. “You can relax for a second.” 

Runaan happily collapsed onto the floor, grunting and gripping and rubbing his aching thighs. “I hope I don’t have to do that again,” he said. 

“Not for a while if you’re lucky,” Tinker said, grinning. 

The two heard a rustling and turned and saw Rayla in the door. She was staring, wide-eyed at the two of them. She drew a small knife, perfect for a small child trainee, and Runaan rushed over to her. 

“Rayla, it’s ok.” 

“Runaan, you know what he is, right?”

“I do, but listen little one,” 

“Oh it was _horrible_ ,” Tinker said, his mannerisms suddenly becoming very overdramatic. “He crashed through my roof and I mistook him for a thief. I grabbed the nearest Sunforged weapon I could and started swinging at him. But the more we fought, the more I realized he was so  _ devilishly _ handsome and he managed to persuade me to help him and his team. He almost cried when he told me about a young trainee that had snuck along to help them and had gotten really injured. His words were so moving, I had no choice to put down my weapon and help.” 

Rayla and Runaan looked at each other for a moment and then at Tinker. Runaan had an embarrassed look on his face and Rayla was still staring, wide-eyed. 

“Really?” she asked. 

“Really really, little one,” Tinker said, grinning at the sight on Runaan’s face. 

Rayla smiled and Runaan scooped her up. “You shouldn’t have gotten out of bed yet. Did you need something?” 

“I was hungry and heard talking.” 

“Do lead the little one to the pantry, she needs all her strength to get home.” Tinker asked, tone still dramatic, and pounding away at the metal with a hammer to flatten it.

“Yeah. C’mon Rayla, we’ll get you some food and then you get some more rest, ok?” Runaan said. 

“But what about training?” Rayla asked. “I gotta practice.” 

“And that’s what I’m working on, little one,” Tinker said. “Your friends here needed their weapons repaired.” 

“You were right, Runaan, he really  _ is _ nice,” Rayla said as Runaan carried her out of the room. 

 


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More interactions with Tinker and Runaan, and our little knife-wielding assassin-in-training gets some time with Tinker, too.

“ _ Devilishly handsome _ ?” Runaan said. Rayla had been fed and was back to sleep thanks to a sedative Tinker gave her. “What was all that about?” 

“I had to do something to keep the kid from stabbing me,” Tinker said. “And you’re not horrifyingly ugly, so I thought you’d take it as a compliment.” 

“Thank you...?” the Moonshadow said. 

Tinker just grinned and placed the blade he was working on in a bucket of water to temper it. “Well, that’s just about everyone. What about you?”

“Me?” 

“You.” 

“Why?”

“Everyone else’s blades were relatively small and quicker to complete. What about you? You didn’t hand me any pieces to work with.” 

Runaan looked down at his feet, like a child who got caught stealing sweets when he wasn’t supposed to. “Mine got destroyed. I doubt there would’ve been any way to repair it.” 

“I’m sorry. What did you fight with, I could make you a new…” 

“No need. It’s not that I don’t want you making me a new weapon free of charge, I’d like that a lot. But I don’t think it’ll be necessary now that everyone else’s is almost done. I’m still good at hand-to-hand combat, too, if I have to fight. I appreciate the offer, I really do. But I’m more concerned about my team making it home safely.” 

Tinker paused for a moment, letting that sink in. “I think I know why you’re the leader,” he said with a small smile. 

Runaan smiled in return. 

 

~~~~~~~ 

 

Runaan brought everyone in at sundown and woke Rayla up so she could eat with them. 

“How did you have time to cook all this when you were repairing everyone’s weapons?” Rayla asked, munching on some fried Sunfish. 

“I was wondering about that too,” one of the other assassins said. 

“Sunfire magic,” Tinker said. “I can regulate the heat in the forge so I don’t have to be in there all the time.” 

“Then what was the point in making me do the bellows?” Runaan asked. 

“Oh, I just wanted to see if you would do it,” the blacksmith replied, grinning. 

Runaan scowled at Tinker while Rayla tried not to laugh and choke on her food. 

“Still, it was really helpful.” 

“My legs hate you now.” 

“But they’re arguably stronger now.” 

“They still hate you.” 

 

~~~~~~~ 

 

Tinker was back to work in the forge, shaping the metal into blades as close to the design and descriptions that the Moonshadows had given him as possible. He swapped from blades to handles, reinforcing and adding some detail. 

“ _ Aren’t you tired _ ?” 

The Sunfire Elf turned and saw Rayla standing in the doorway to the forge. 

“I’m almost done, little one, then I’ll get some sleep.” Tinker said. “You should be resting too, though. How’s your head?” 

“It hurts less.” 

“That’s always a good thing.” 

“Runaan’s weapon broke. A lot.” 

“I know, he told me.” 

“Can you make him a new one?” 

“He asked me not to. He’s more worried about you and everyone else.” 

“Oh, ok.” 

Tinker paused in his work and turned to her. “Do you remember off hand what his weapon was?” 

Rayla shook her head. 

He pat her on the head, mindful of the cauterized wound. “That’s alright. Go get some sleep little one.” 

“Ok.” Rayla started walking off,but stumbled and almost fell to the floor. 

Tinker bolted from his worktable and scooped her up. “Maybe I’ll go with you and make sure you don’t get hurt.” 

“Ok…” Rayla yawned. 

Tinker led her back to the room, laid her back down on the bed and pulled the covers over her. 

“Do you really think Runaan is handsome, or were you just saying that to butter him up?” Rayla asked.

“Why do you ask?” 

“Cuz I call him the strongest assassin when I want him to teach some advanced moves.” 

Tinker chuckled. “You’re a smart kid. But to answer your question, yes, I do think he’s handsome.” 

“Really?” the little assassin repeated, quirking an eyebrow. 

“He’s not ugly, so he’s handsome.” 

Rayla laughed at that. "You really like him?" 

"With that absolutely gorgeous mane of silvery white hair? He's a  _ god _ ..." Tinker gushed overdramatically, pretending to swoon. "You better keep him safe from all the girls who might wanna swarm him when you guys get home." 

"I'll protect him with my life!" Rayla vowed.

"Brave little soul, you are. Runaan's lucky to have you." Tinker smiled. "Get some rest. You'll be heading home in the morning."

 

~~~~~~~

 

“You don’t think I’m really all that handsome, do you?” Runaan asked when Tinker returned to the forge. 

“It’s not polite to eavesdrop, you know,” Tinker said, sitting back down at his table. 

“It’s not really eavesdropping when your voice is so dramatically loud I can hear you from the washroom,” the assassin countered. “And you didn’t answer my question.” 

“Like I told both you and Rayla, you’re not ugly, so that would logically lead me to the conclusion that you are, in fact, handsome.” 

“That’s… flattering, I guess.” 

“It be like that,” the blacksmith said, finishing one of the weapons. “So, what do you think of me?”

“What?” 

“What do you think of me? I think you’re handsome, so I’m curious as to what you think of me.” 

Runaan did not see this coming. Sunfires might not be as private as Moonshadows in terms of stating affection or giving compliments. “I- I think you’re… good-looking.” 

Tinker snickered. “You’ve never given anyone a compliment before, have you?” 

“Was I too obvious?” 

“A tad, my friend, just a tad.” 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ok, so I missed a chapter, and I'm really sorry about that. I double checked the story in my file and I promise, this is the correct chapter. I'll be releasing the Chapter 5 alongside this to make up for it. I'll also try to make sure that this doesn't happen again. 
> 
> I hope you all enjoy. Now if you'll excuse me, I gotta go not die from test anxiety.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Runaan and Co. make it back safe and sound, and Runaan becomes a bit of a celebrity because of Tinker.

Tinker was done with all the weapons by the morning. They looked as good as new, and some of them were.

“They look even better than when we first got them,” one of the other assassins said, looking.

Runaan looked over his team, happy for the first time since the mission failure. He scooped up Rayla and held his hand out to Tinker. “Thank you so much. For everything.”

Tinker shook his hand. “No problem at all. Just promise the next time you’re in the area that you won’t crash through my roof.”

Runaan grinned. “Seems your roof could use some reinforcement.”

“It could. Get home safe, alright?”

“We will.” Runaan scooped Rayla up and put her on his shoulders. “Let’s go.”

“Bye Tinker!” Rayla said.

“Bye little one. Remember what we talked about.” Tinker replied, waving to her.

 

~~~~~~~

 

When they returned, the other trainees were glad to see that Rayla was ok, and Runaan was called to meet with the Assassin’s Council to discuss the mission.

“You’re injured and you have no weapon, yet the rest of your team seems to have made it out alright.” one of the members stated.

“The mission itself was a failure. We barely got alive, and since Rayla had followed us, we had to make sure we didn’t lose a trainee.” Runaan said. “That, and my weapon was completely destroyed.”

“Then how come everyone else’s weapons are intact?” another asked.

“On our way we found a blacksmith living in the woods. He allowed us to stay for a couple days while he fixed the rest of the team’s weapons and provided medicine for Rayla.”

“And you turned down getting a new weapon forged?”

“I thought it better for the team that they were equipped. I could make do with my combat training.”

“A smart decision on short notice. Who was the blacksmith and where’s his forge?” one of them asked.

Runaan hesitated. “He’s a… Sunfire.”

A wave of murmurs swept through the Council.

“Runaan, if this is a joke, it’s not very funny,” one of the members said.

“It’s not a joke, it’s the truth.” Runaan said. “We have active trade with the Sunfires, and my team and I were stranded in Sunfire territory on the way back. He provided food, shelter, weapons and medicine for all of us. Where do you see a joke in all of that?”

The Council fell silent.

“We may not always get along with them, but they’re not as bad as we think.”

Still silent.

Runaan rolled his eyes. “Say what you will. That Sunfire Elf saved a child’s life.” He bowed to the Council respectfully and walked out.

Rayla was at the bottom of the steps waiting for him. “Were they jerks when you told them about Tinker?”

“Only slightly.”

“They should’ve been there.”

“Yes, yes they should have.”

“Then they’d know that Tinker’s cool.”

Runaan smiled and took Rayla’s hand. “C’mon, let’s get you home so you can rest.”

“But what about training?” Rayla asked.

“Tomorrow, little one. I promise.”

 

~~~~~~~

 

Rayla slumped up to Runaan’s place, trying in vain to hide her pout.

Runaan came out and sat down on the front stoop. “What happened, Rayla?” he asked.

“Just some dunderheads at training today.” she replied.

“Dunderheads? You don’t use that often. What did they do?”

“Not what they did. What they said.”

“What did they say?”

“That Tinker couldn’t have been a Sunfire because otherwise he would’ve burned us.”

“He only burned you, but that was to make your head stop bleeding.”

“That’s what I said, but they didn’t believe me.”

“Wow, what a bunch of dunderheads.”

Rayla smiled, but it didn’t last. “Do you think Tinker’s gonna get in trouble for helping us?”

“No, he did the right thing. No one can really be in trouble for doing the right thing.”

“You really think that?”

Runaan nodded. “Really really. Now c’mon in and show me what you learned today.”

 

~~~~~~~

 

“What the hell are you doing here? You have any idea what time it is?” Runaan asked. Some assassins just under him had pounded on his door real late at night and the “ignore them until they go away” tactic didn’t work when Rayla came in, complaining about whoever was at the door.

“We heard you ran into a Sunfire on your way back.” one of them said.

“How did you get away without losing a limb?” the second one asked.

“Screw a limb, how’s the old man still _alive_?” another one asked.

“I’m only 28, you little shits, now what do you want? I’ve got a kid here that needs sleep so she can kick all three of your arses when she skips another section.” Runaan said.

“What was the Sunfire like?” the first one asked.

“He… was nice.”

“You hesitated, old man,” the third one teased.

“Call me old man again and we’ll see what happens,” Runaan threatened.

“Look, we just wanna know what happened between you and the Sunfire. Everyone’s been talking about it since the Assassin’s Council announced it.” the first one said.

“What else is there to know that the Council hasn’t already said?”

“Council doesn’t always provide all the details, even you know that.”

“Ow!” the third one said, jumping back from the door and holding his foot.

Rayla was standing and holding one of her small knives. “ _GO AWAY_!” she screamed.

The three trainees ran away from the house, fearing Rayla would scream louder and/or stab them any more than she already had.

Runaan grinned watching the teens retreat and scooped Rayla up into his arms. “You’re getting better at stealth, little one.” he said.

“I’m learning from the best,” Rayla mumbled.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Part 2 of the pre-final-double-feature. Enjoy. 
> 
> *pops tiny confetti guns*


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Runaan slips away from his village and goes to vent to Tinker. Feelings start to bloom. Short because I'm fresh off finals and still trying to reboot my brain.

Runaan was in the tree over Tinker’s workshop, watching him finish up a conversation with an Skywing Elf just outside the door. They laughed at something one of them said, probably a joke or some other funny story. His eyes followed the Skywing Elf as they took up and off into the air and then made his way down to the ground. 

“Ooh, the assassin returns,” Tinker said, “It’s been a fortnight. What can I do for you?” 

“Not much, to be honest.” Runaan said. 

Tinker looked over the Moonshadow. “You look… worn out. Mentally worn out. Everything ok?” 

“Well, when your assassination squad comes back with newly forged weapons, a kid with her head wrapped in bandages and the leader armsless and with a story about how a Sunfire Elf helped you rather than kill you, you tend to become a bit of an overnight celebrity.” 

“Sounds annoying.” 

“Especially when you’re trying to be the guardian to the kid who had her head wrapped in bandages.” 

“How’s she doing by the way? Rayla?”

“Head’s fine and she’s back in training. She jabbed some teens who came by the other night and kept asking me questions about you.” 

“Where’d she get ‘em?” Tinker asked, folding his arms and grinning. 

“Foot.” 

“ ‘Atta girl.” 

“Yup.” 

The two just looked at each other for a moment, an awkward silence filling the space between them.

“You’re sure you don’t want me to make you a new weapon?”

“Don’t even start. I walk into my hometown with something you make, I’ll have people sneaking into my house trying to see if it won’t blow up on me while I’m asleep.” 

“You come from a very closed-minded community, you know that right?” 

“They’re very traditional. Traditional to a fault.” 

“Traditions can change, though, I hope they realize that.” Tinker said. “Wanna come inside? I was just about to throw something together for lunch.” 

“I’d like that, actually. Thank you.” 

 

~~~~~~~ 

 

“Just go ahead and try it, it’s good,” Tinker said. 

Runaan was poking hesitantly at the plate of Backfat that Tinker had made for lunch. It didn’t look all that appealing to Runaan, but Tinker ate it all up like he hadn’t eaten anything all day. “I’m not all that fond of fatty foods.” he said. 

“It's not all that fatty, to be completely honest, it just looks that way. At least have one bite. If you don’t like it, I’ve got some leftover Sun Fish I can fry up for you.” 

Runaan knew he couldn’t let the food go to waste, so he sucked it up and took a bite of the food. His eyes widened as he chewed, the flavor nothing like he’d ever tasted before. 

Tinker just grinned smugly. “We like?” 

Runaan nodded and dug into the rest of it. 

“It’s a shame you’ve never had this kind of food before,” Tinker said, sitting down across from him. “Wish our societies could stop being mostly-asshats to each other and open up a little more.” 

“You’re pretty open-minded about this kind of stuff. Is that Sunfire culture, or is it just you?” 

“I wouldn’t really know. I was born and raised here, and I’ve never really left the area.” 

“Sounds like that’d get boring and mundane pretty fast.” 

“Not necessarily. All sorts of Elves come to me and I get to learn how they like their sharp and pointy items to do the stab-stab.” 

Runaan grinned and finished up his food. 

“I find that you learn a lot from interacting with others from different backgrounds. Helps you make more sense of the world,” Tinker said. He sounded serene and calm, like he was finally glad he could talk about this with someone.  

Runaan paused. Tinker  _ did _ have a point. “You think it applies to everyone?” he asked. 

“Sure, why not?” 

Runaan smiled. Tinker smiled. 

“ _ You mind if I come back… _ ”   
“ _ Do you wanna come back sometime… _ ” 

Both of them quickly shut themselves up, smiling awkwardly a little when they realized they were talking over each other. It led into the classical “I’m sorrys” and “you firsts” accompanied by nervous laughter. 

“You mind if I come back? Just to talk?” Runaan said after a little pause. 

“Yeah, I don’t mind. I could use the company,” Tinker said, grinning. 

Runaan smiled. “Cool.” 

 


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The pair in question tell each other stories about their respective Primal Source that may or may not have symbolism in their friendship that they're now starting to question. Fun times!

After that little chat, Runaan had been going to Tinker’s. 

A lot. 

It was either because Runaan’s team was on their way back from a mission and needed repairs and supplies, or it was when Runaan was having a stressful time at home because of the other villagers. His assassination team grew to like the Sunfire Elf and would sometimes joke around with him while he was working on their weapons. 

Tinker, in turn, was a good host and friend. He fed whoever showed up, regardless of how little food was in the pantry, and he’d work through the night if he had to if something needed repairs. Whenever the group or Runaan was able to coax him into eating with them, he’d come out of the forge wiping sweat off his forehead and smelling like burning coals. He’d see his guests off in the morning, always slipping Runaan an extra trinket to give to Rayla. 

With more visits came stories, specifically about the times where everyone had been a reckless adolescent Elf and had gotten into some kind of trouble or family stories. Runaan learned that Tinker had a cousin named Janai who worked on the Xadian half of the Lava Border, and that she was the same cousin who gave him the nickname Tinker. The more personal stories were kept between Runaan and Tinker since they knew they were the only other person they could really trust with certain stories and secrets. It wasn’t that Runaan didn’t trust his team, he just didn’t trust them when they were full of alcohol that Tinker started providing the more they stopped by after missions. 

Sometimes Rayla came along too on Runaan’s  leisurely visits and she’d happily show off the new maneuvers and techniques she’d learned in training. Tinker took note of how well she worked with knives and started crafting her dual knives to work with. True to what Runaan said a while back, Rayla was the talk of her whole training level, the knives so well made, sleek and sturdy. Unlike Runaan, Rayla shamelessly promoted Tinker to her class- and proved she wasn’t above using her new knives to shut up any naysayers. Respectfully, of course. 

 

~~~~~~~ 

 

“What kind of folk stories do Moonshadows have?” Tinker asked one evening. He was in the forge working on repairing a trident for a Oceandepth client, Runaan sitting off to the side, flipping one of Tinker’s test knives between his fingers. 

“What do you mean?” 

“You know, stories you tell among each other, or you tell to little kids to make sure they behave. We have a story about how the Sun came to be. You guys have one about the moon?” 

“Of course we do. Our oldest one is about the Moon.” 

“Can I hear it?” 

“It’s not usually for- outsiders to hear…” Runaan said, feeling a little pang of guilt at having used the word “outsider.” For everything Tinker had done for him and his team, he didn’t like using that word around him. 

“How about this, I’ll tell you about the Sun if you tell me about the Moon. Deal?” Tinker said, setting down the trident. 

Runaan grinned. “Deal.” 

“Ok,” Tinker said, pulling up a chair and sitting down across from Runaan. “I haven’t told this in a while, so forgive me if I’m rusty.” 

Runaan shrugged. “No worries.” 

Tinker grinned. “Ok, so you know how most world-making stories start out with that whole “In the Beginning, there was nothing but Darkness” stuff? It starts out that same way for us, total darkness, the kind where you couldn’t even see your hand in front of your face. So, the world’s dark and nothing happens until one day, BOOM! The Sun breaks free of the darkness and starts off by providing light for the world. It sees everything on the planet and it likes the planet, so the Sun decides to stay near the planet and keep providing light for the world. But the world is still really cold and not a whole lot can live there, so the first humans ask the Sun if there’s anything it can do to warm the place up a little. The Sun does its best, but it’s like,  _ super _ hot at first, burning everything, even the land itself and the first humans are all “yo, that’s kinda not what we meant, could maybe dial it back a bit?” and the Sun agrees and things are good for a while and that’s why we have deserts. But the Sun still wants to have an active role on the planet itself, but it can do that without burning the place up again, so it sends down these flares that take on a human-like shape but with darker skin, bright yellow and orange markings, horns and four fingers, and these creatures have the powers of light and heat depending on the creature. And that’s how Sunfire Elves were made.” 

“Wow…” Runaan said. “That’s really cool.” 

“So what’s your story about the moon?” Tinker said. 

Runaan looked up through the skylight in the forge and saw the Moon, halfway to weaning. “The oldest Mages say that there’s a lady who lives in the Moon, Luna, the first Moonshadow Elf. They say the Sun got lonely and wanted a partner, and the first humans wanted a temporary return to the darkness because the Sun was so bright, they couldn’t sleep and the nocturnal animals couldn’t hunt for food during the day. Luna was living on the planet at the time and offered to become the Moon but made a deal with the humans. They could temporarily return to the darkness, but the Moon would borrow some of the Sun’s light to they could still see, but it was a softer light and they could still sleep. Luna was also skilled in magic, so she pulled out some of her magical essence out of herself to make the first Moonshadow Elves, adding the shadow because some of the early ones were very nocturnal and hunted at night, among the shadows. When she was happy with her children- we consider ourselves to be the Moon’s children- and the humans were satisfied with her deal of providing light at night, she rose into the sky and turned herself into the Moon. The earliest Moonshadow assassins and Mages drew from her power, and they learned illusion and disappearing magic from her during nights when it looked like she disappeared, during the new moon, but were most powerful during times when she was showing herself in full to her children, the full moon. Some of us early on learned how to connect to her spirit within the moon, and so the Lunar Nexus was made in order to be closer to her.” 

Tinker stared, dumbfounded. “That’s beautiful.” 

“Yours was too,” Runaan said. 

“No, mine was a rough retelling, yours was actually like a story in a kid’s book.” 

Runaan rolled his eyes playfully. “It’s kind of interesting…” 

“What is?” 

“That both stories about our respective Primal Sources are opposites from the beginning. The Sun is just there and sends down Elves to interact with the world in its absence while an Elf creates more of herself and ascends to become the Moon.” 

“Yeah, but there’s still some similarities. For one, both our peoples are directly descended from the Primal Source itself, just in different capacities. And the first humans both interacted with the Primal Source at some point. And it shows that the Moon and Sun kind of need each other in order to maintain the day-night cycle and are therefore inseparable.” 

The two looked at each other for a long moment, long enough for it to start feeling awkward. What was the other thinking about? Could it be that he was thinking about what Tinker had said, about the Sun and Moon being inseparable and needing each other? Were  _ they _ inseparable? Did  _ they _ need each other? They had become really close friends over the past several months, sharing secrets and personal stories. Maybe it was some kind of sign?

Tinker’s forge practically exploding with fiery heat broke them both out of their reverie, forcing Tinker to tame the flames with Sun magic so the whole place wouldn’t burn down. Runaan popped open the skylight and all the other windows in the workshop to air out the burning smell, and the two young men wisely decided to call it a night. 

“Be safe heading back, alright?” Tinker said from the doorway. 

“Don’t worry, I will be,” Runaan said before hopping up and away into the trees. 

When he was a safe distance away, he leaned against a tree’s trunk and felt his neck for his pulse.  _ What is going on with me _ ? he thought. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, my brain is back and ready to write!!! Finals went better than I expected (let's just hope my grades are also better than what I expect). 
> 
> Also, I didn't get a chance to properly say this, but thanks so much to those who've read up to this point and for commenting. I appreciate it so much, you guys have no freaking idea. 
> 
> Hope you guys enjoy this chapter too, this was a fun opportunity to create little in-universe stories for the sun and moon's existences. I love stuff like that, and I hope you guys do, too.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Runaan realizes he has Feelings and him and Rayla spend some time together and they talk about Tinker. They then visit Tinker who has a special gift for Rayla.

Runaan was sat on his bed, staring out the ceiling window up at the moon and stars. Weeks after telling Tinker the Moonshadow story about the Moon, and his pulse raced whenever he thought about that night. The way that Tinker looked at him. The way the low light made his eyes brighter somehow… 

He ruffled his hair, in the way someone would stress over something big. He wasn’t familiar with whatever-  _ this _ was. He didn’t even know  _ what _ this was, but it’d been eating at him for longer than he was expecting it to and he wanted it to stop. He’d been getting a little bit sloppy in his training; only a little bit, but it was noticeable to him and it was enough to bother him. 

“Runaan?” 

The assassin turned and saw Rayla in her night clothes standing in the doorway. She looked upset about something. 

“What’s wrong, little one?” he asked, getting up off his bed and squatting on the floor in front of her. 

Rayla took a moment, looking at her feet before she said anything. “Do you like Tinker more than me?”

Runaan quirked an eyebrow. “Where did you get that idea?”

“You’ve made a lot of visits to him over the past few months. And one of the kids in training said you liked him more than me.” She looked like she was going to cry. “I’m sorry Mum and Dad are in the Dragon Guard…” 

Runaan brought her into a hug. “No Rayla, don’t be sorry. I’m sorry I haven’t been spending as much time with you. I never meant to make you feel like I didn’t care about you.” 

“So you like me more than Tinker?” 

“Of course I do. I like Tinker and he’s a very good friend, but you are always my first priority.” 

They hugged for a short while before Rayla said anything more. “Do you like Tinker? As more than a friend?”

“Where did that come from?” 

“Well you do visit him a lot. And you talk a lot. My instructor said that’s what you do with someone you like as more than a friend.” 

Runaan felt his face heat up when she said that. He had been visiting him a lot and did talk to him a lot. Maybe it  _ was _ a sign?

“So do you like him?”

“I- I don’t know about that kind of like yet. Let’s just… get you to bed for now.” 

He scooped Rayla up and took her to her room. He said good night and tucked her into bed before putting out the lights. “How about we head down to the glen tomorrow? Just the two of us?” 

Rayla smiled and nodded. 

 

~~~~~~~ 

 

The glen was one of Rayla’s favorite places. When she moved in with Runaan, her parents told him it was where they spent a lot of time together. Sometimes they would fish from the small river that ran through and cook what they caught. Sometimes they camped and Rayla was told old Moonshadow folk tales. Other times it was for the family to get away from the rest of society, a home away from home. 

Runaan tried his best to be a good guardian for her, and tried to do the same things for her that her parents did. He didn’t really have a lot of memories of his parents, and while he knew Tinker was able to put two-and-two together about what happened to him, he didn’t like to talk about it. 

When they arrived at the glen, Rayla shot off immediately and started climbing trees. She was getting better at jumping from tree to tree. Runaan set their stuff down and set up his fishing rod, given to him by Rayla’s father. Runaan wasn’t a skilled fisher, but he was good enough to land a couple catches before Rayla made her way down. She came up behind him, she didn’t like water. Something about it frightened her. Runaan knew he should probably talk to her about it at some point, but now wasn't that moment. 

“Hey Runaan,” Rayla said, helping Runaan get a fire going. 

“Mm?”

“Did you figure if you like Tinker yet?” 

“Of course I like him. He’s a really good friend.” 

“No, like, the way everyone thinks you like him. As more than a friend.” 

“Why do you wanna know so badly?” 

“Tinker said I had to protect you.”

Runaan almost dropped his fish in the fire. “He said you had to protect me?”

“Mhm. From girls mostly, but I said I would.” 

Runaan couldn’t help the giggles that bubbled up and out of him. “Of course he’d say that.” 

“I mean, Tinker’s nice and he makes cool things, so if you like him as more than a friend, I don’t have to do as much protecting. He can also do the burn thing with magic, so that’s really cool, too.” 

Runaan held their fish over the fire, rotating them slowly so they cooked more evenly, smiling. “You think Tinker and I would be… a good couple?” 

“Yeah. He makes sharp stuff, and you could use them.” 

Runaan chuckled. “You have a point there.” He paused. “Pun intended.” 

Rayla giggled and munched on some moonberries.

 

~~~~~~~ 

 

“Tinker!” Rayla said, running up to the workshop, a little pack on her back. 

Tinker poked his head out, saw Rayla and scooped her up. “Hey little one!” he said. “I haven’t seen you in a while, how’s your head?” 

“All better!” 

“That’s great!” 

“Runaan’s here, too,” Rayla said, pointing at her guardian, making his way down from a tree. 

“You’ve been looking out for him like I told you to, right?” 

Rayla nodded. 

“Atta girl,” he said, smiling and setting her down. He looked up at Runaan and wiped some sweat off his forehead. “You doing ok? You haven’t been around in a while.” 

“We've both been busy with training, and Rayla’s been wanting me to spend more time with her,” Runaan said. 

“Jeez, don’t you guys take a day off?” 

“We do, we’re here visiting you,” Rayla said. 

"Fair," Tinker said. He squatted down so he was eye-level with Rayla. "I've been working on something amazing for you, and I have a feeling you're really gonna like it." 

Rayla's eyes lit up like lightning bugs. "What is it?" she asked, barely above a whisper. 

"You'll have to head into the workshop and look for it. If you can find it, you can take it home with you." 

Rayla shot off into the workshop, eager to find her present.

"Part of me's inclined to think you're spoiling her," Runaan said, folding his arms, yet smirking. 

"She's a kid, and she's an assassin in training. If she's gonna do the stab-stab, she should have a suitable weapon," Tinker said. "Speaking of which, you still don't have one, do you?" 

Runaan playfully rolled his eyes and followed the craftsman into the shop. They heard Rayla in the other room, sifting through just about everything, looking for her present. It didn't take her long, and she ran out of the forge carrying two handles, dark with light teal patterns. 

"They're just handles," she said, looking a bit disappointed. 

"Not necessarily," Tinker said. "Remember that butterfly knife I gave you a while back?" 

"Yeah." 

"Try playing with these the same way." 

Rayla did some hand maneuvers, and a blade flipped out and locked into place from each handle. Her eyes returned to that excited look from before.  

"Now, you wanna know something else? Do that same movement again," Tinker said.  

Rayla did as she was told, and the long blades were replaced by hooked ones.  Her eyes widened, and she almost cut Tinker when she moved to hug him. 

"Thankyouthankyouthankyou..." she kept repeating in that way children do when they receive something they really like. 

"You're very welcome," Tinker said. "And you know... I have an absurd amount of wood out back that needs chopping. Care to help?" 

Rayla shot off again, not needing to be told twice. Runaan watched her go, smiling. 

"You're spoiling her, now I'm sure," he said. 

"You know what'll get me to stop?" 

"Don't even go there."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have been on a roll and I don't know why it's happening, but I'm rolling with it. 
> 
> I have to admit, I was initially gonna wait to update this because I have a minor cold and wanted to focus on getting better, but today I have been feeling better, a lot better than the past couple days, so I thought today was a good day to update since I wasn't feeling like crap. 
> 
> Thanks again for reading and I hope you enjoy!!!


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Confession time!!!! Nuff said.

Tinker cooked his guests dinner, and Rayla had been put up in Tinker's room early. She and Runaan had to leave early tomorrow to make it back home in time for Rayla's training session. 

"How's it been for you guys?" Tinker asked, putting away the last of the dishes. "Any more curious people knocking on your door in the middle of the night?" 

"No, that stopped a couple weeks ago. I've given the Assassin's Council a good amount of stuff to think about," Runaan said, still sat at the table. 

"You still look mentally drained, though. Something else bothering you?" 

Runaan took a moment to think about it. The last time he and Tinker had been alone like this was weeks ago, and he hadn't been able to get Tinker out of his mind since. Rayla had been curious if he liked Tinker as more than a friend, and he'd been thinking about it, wondering if she was right. Tinker was kind, a talented blacksmith and craftsman, and he helped him and his team when they were down on their luck. And that night those several weeks back when they talked about the Sun and Moon... 

"Runaan?" 

Runaan looked up at the Sunfire Elf, not realizing he'd been lost in thought. This really wasn't like him.  _ Just say it, you coward _ , he told himself. 

"I think I like someone," he said. "...as more than just a friend." 

Tinker's eyes widened in surprise. "You- you have a  _ crush _ ?"

Runaan felt his face heat up and nodded. "Yeah..." 

Tinker smiled, but it looked a little disheartened, almost like he wasn't as happy as he'd like to be. "That's... that's amazing. Lucky girl." 

"Oh, it's not a girl," Runaan said. "Women are amazing and everything, but I don't think any woman would really want me." 

"So who's the lucky guy? Don't tell me it's one of your assassin buddies. That'll lead to a  _ lot _ of awkwardness and problems later if you guys split up." 

"No, not one of them, trust me. It's against protocol," Runaan said, chuckling and picking up on Tinker's mood. "He's actually not from my village." 

"So is he from a different Moonshadow village?" Tinker asked. 

Runaan was blushing and smiling way too much for his own good and shook his head. "This is silly, you don't wanna know..." 

"No dude, now I gotta know!" Tinker said, grabbing Runaan's shoulders.

"I- I can't, it's too embarrassing," Runaan replied. 

"C'mon, please?" 

Runaan blushed darker and tried to find the right words. "He's not a Moonshadow Elf." 

"Is he an Earthblood Elf? A Skywing?" 

"No, he's not either of those." 

"What's he like?" 

"He's really nice," Runaan said. "He's really creative, too. You should see what he's capable of, it's astounding." 

Tinker seemed to deflate emotionally the more Runaan spoke. "Oh." 

"He also gets along well with Rayla, like, you'd think he's always been around. He treats her almost like a little sister." 

"That's good." 

"He's also really helpful to my team. They didn't like him at first, but he grew on them after a while." 

"Great." 

Runaan smirked, knowing he had to get to the point eventually. "He's also really handsome..." 

"Do I know this guy? Is he taller than me?" 

"He's about your height." 

"Is he better-looking?" 

Runaan smiled. "It's... you, Tinker." 

Tinker's eye widened. "...oh." 

The two gazed at each other for a long moment, the same way they looked at each other those several weeks ago after the storytelling. 

"Well," Tinker said, "I have to admit, I have a crush too. He crashed through my roof a couple months back." 

"Sounds like he was a real hassle." 

"That's what I thought, too."

"What did you do?" 

"I helped him, of course, I'm not cruel. He had an injured kid on his hands, I wasn't going to turn him away." 

"Was he good-looking?" Runaan asked, quirking an eyebrow playfully and leaning in slightly. 

"Devilishly handsome, some might say," Tinker said, leaning in as well, a playful grin on his face. He reached over and twirled a lock of Runaan's hair. "He has the most beautiful hair. Silvery-white, long. He's also got these lovely turquoise eyes... he's gorgeous." 

"Lucky guy." 

"Do you think he likes me back?" 

"Undoubtedly." 

Tinker smiled, now centimeters away from Runaan's face. The two were blushing and smiling so much, they could feel the heat radiating off each other- Tinker, however, was naturally warmer. 

"What do you suppose we do with these crushes of ours?" Runaan asked, voice barely above a whisper. 

"I have an idea. Not sure if my crush would like it though." Tinker replied. 

"I think he'd wanna know." 

Tinker smiled, leaned in closer and pressed his lips against Runaan's. It was gentle and sweet, and Runaan couldn't help but notice how soft Tinker's lips were. His heart was pounding, and he was beginning to wonder if Tinker could hear it. 

When Tinker pulled away, he pressed his forehead to Runaan's, smiling. "I don't think my crush has ever kissed anyone before," he said. 

Without really thinking, Runaan grinned playfully. "Sounds like you're going to have to teach him, then." 

Tinker's eyes narrowed just as playfully. "Oh, I intend to. Specifically in the guest room." He stood up and took a blushing Runaan's hand and led him off to the other bedroom. "We'll be quiet, of course. The little one needs her sleep."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is it just me, or does it feel weird writing romantic parts like kissing and confessions? Like, you know how you want it to sound, but you find it difficult to put into words without it sounding sappy and cliche??? 
> 
> Anyway, I'm glad I finally have this chapter out now. I've been building up to it for a while, and I'm just so happy it came together the way it did. 
> 
> And I know I say this with every update, but thank you to those who leave kudos and leave comments, they really do make my day. 
> 
> Hope you enjoyed, next part will be out soon!!!


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Final chapter!!! More kisses, the return of the assassin crew, and some very special gifts for Runaan made by Tinker.

Tinker and Runaan laid, curled up in the bed in Tinker's guest room. The sun was just starting to rise, and they were just holding and looking at each other. Tinker was fiddling with a lock of Runaan's hair like he was the night before. 

"Do you have to go?" he asked. "Can't you stay another day?" 

"I wish we could. I know Rayla would love to stay and practice more with her new blades, but we need to head back." Runaan said. "We'll try and come back soon, though." 

"Promise?"

Runaan pressed his forehead to Tinker's. "Promise." 

Tinker leaned forward and kissed him, effectively moving Runaan onto his back, hands cupping his face. Runaan slid a hand to the nape of Tinker's neck to pull him closer. 

"You'll still come and visit on your way back from missions, right?" Tinker asked. 

"Of course, love." 

The Sunfire Elf smiled. "Love. So we're already using pet names?" 

"Is that a bad thing?" 

"No, no of course not. Although 'love' seems a bit... cliche, don't you think?"

"What do you suppose we use for pet names then?" the assassin asked.

"Hmm... what do you think of Moonlight?" 

Runaan blushed. "A little corny, but I love it." 

Tinker grinned. "So what's your pet name for me?" 

Runaan thought for a moment, running his hands through Tinker's short brown hair. "Anávo." 

Tinker snickered, letting his head drop into Runaan's chest. "You dork." 

"What? It means 'ignite.' And every time I see you, you ignite my happiness." 

The Sunfire nuzzled himself into the crook of his boyfriend's neck, the warmth from his face radiating onto Runaan. "You dork," he repeated. 

"Yeah, but I'm your dork." 

"Damn right you are," Tinker said. He leaned in again and pecked Runaan on the lips before curling up closer to him. 

"Tinker, we have to get up," Runaan said. 

"Mm... five more minutes..." Tinker mumbled. 

There were a couple of small knocks at the door. "Runaan? I'm hungry." 

"Be out in a second, little one," Runaan replied, pulling the covers off him and Tinker and getting out of bed. 

 

~~~~~~~ 

 

Runaan was bussing dishes into the kitchen, and Tinker stayed behind to make sure Rayla ate all her food. He watched as Tinker rounded the corner and then turned to her. 

"Hey, I've got a question for you." 

"What is it?" 

"The secret kind." 

Rayla grinned. "Those are the best." 

"Yes, yes they are," Tinker replied. "So, can you tell me something about Runaan?"

"What do you wanna know?" 

"I keep asking him if he wants me to make him a new weapon, but he always says no. But I figured since you live with him, you could tell me what to make for him." 

Rayla paused for a moment. "He's used a sniper bow." 

"Alright, that's a good start." 

"He's also used dual swords, too." 

"Interesting..." 

"What's interesting?" Runaan asked, suddenly in the doorway. 

"Tinker said I couldn't cut all the extra wood in the back with my new blades in less than a minute," Rayla said. 

"What did you say?" 

"I said I could, and when I win, we'll make the biggest bonfire ever and cook a whole Sun Boar over it." 

Runaan was taken aback for a quick moment. "That... actually is interesting. Assuming we can track down and get a whole Sun Boar, but yeah, interesting. Go and get your stuff, we have to head out soon." 

Rayla got up and went back to Tinker's room where she left her pack and blades. Tinker got up and hugged Runaan. 

"Come back soon Moonlight," he whispered. 

"Don't worry, I will be Anávo," the Moonshadow Elf replied in an equally hushed tone. "Think I need any more lessons on kissing?"

"Hundreds more," Tinker said, pecking Runaan on the lips one more time.

Rayla came back in at that moment and gave Tinker a hug. "We'll come back soon, pinky promise," she said, holding out her pinky finger. 

Tinker locked his pinky around hers. "Also, you have full license to completely show off your fancy new blades to your soon to be inevitably jealous classmates," he said. 

Rayla smiled ear to ear, and Runaan scooped her up and helped her up into a nearby tree. 

"You know you guys could just use the roads like everyone else," Tinker said. 

"Runaan said this helps with assassin training," Rayla said. "Bye Tinker." 

"Bye, little one." 

Runaan hung back, moving over to Tinker and bringing him into a hug. "I have a mission in a couple days, but we'll swing by and stay the night. Promise." 

"I'll look forward to it." 

 

~~~~~~~ 

 

"You've been on a roll lately, Runaan," one of the assassins said as they neared Tinker's workshop. 

"Yeah, you haven't faltered in the slightest the past couple months," another one said.

"Why don't you let Tinker make you a new weapon? You've been doing good with borrowed weapons and your combat training, but every Moonshadow assassin needs their own weapon," the girl said. 

"He made Rayla those sick butterfly knife-blades," another pointed out. "He could definitely make you something if you wanted him to." 

Runaan rolled his eyes. "Look, he's a talented craftsman, but I don't want him thinking he has to make me anything." 

"He won't feel obligated, Runaan, he'll genuinely want to. Tinker's a cool guy." 

"Says all the people who doubted me when I walked up with him saying he was going to help all those months ago," Runaan said. 

When they arrived at the workshop, they saw Tinker sat out in front, wiping sweat from his forehead, clearly on a break. He spotted them and stood up, smiling. 

"So, how'd it go?" the Sunfire asked. 

"We're all still here, so clearly it went well," one of the other assassins said, eliciting a laugh from everyone else. 

"Well, you're in luck, I just finished a project, and I was just about to make lunch. You guys hungry?" 

"Famished." they all said. 

"Good." 

 

~~~~~~~ 

 

The assassins were all sat down at Tinker's table chowing down on the food Tinker cooked for them. 

"Hey Tinker," Runaan said, "you might wanna get in here before my comrades eat all your food." 

Tinker poked his head around the corner. "Quick question for everyone here: do you guys want to see a surprise while you're eating or should I wait until after?" 

"Now," the rest of the assassins said. 

"Thought you'd say that." 

"What's the surprise?" Runaan asked. 

"I am so glad you asked, Moonlight," Tinker said. He rounded the corner and revealed a magnificently made weapon: a long bow with blades as the limbs. 

Everyone turned to get a better look at the weapon. Both the blades and handles were adorned with ornately carved details and even matched the black and teal color scheme of the assassin's outfits. 

"It's not just a bow," Tinker said. He turned it sideways, pushed the handle riser section until the grip disappeared and then pulled the bow's limbs apart, revealing that it could be split into two blades. "It's also useful for close-quarters combat." 

Everyone was in awe over the bowblade: the other assassins congratulated him on making something so unique, and Runaan couldn't help but accept the gift his boyfriend had made for him. 

He stood up and hugged Tinker. "Rayla helped you, didn't she?" he whispered.

"She might have fibbed about the log thing, but it was well worth it," Tinker whispered back. 

Runaan shook his head and put the new bowblade with the rest of the group's weapons. "I'll be having a talk with her when we get home." 

"Go easy on her, she and I want the same thing. For you to be happy and to kick ass with a cool new weapon."  

 

~~~~~~~ 

 

Runaan was rolled onto his back, Tinker on top of him. The other assassins were up in the guest rooms upstairs, while they were in Tinker's room, and said Sunfire Elf decided to make out with his assassin boyfriend now that they were alone. 

"You're getting better at this," Tinker remarked when he pulled away for air. 

"I have a good teacher," Runaan said, eyes heavy and pupils dilated slightly. He was definitely enjoying himself. "I missed you so much." 

"I missed you too, Moonlight," Tinker replied, pressing his lips against Runaan's again.

The Moonshadow Elf didn't expect to like kissing all that much, but Tinker made it- intriguing, to say the least. Before he could even start to return Tinker's kisses, the craftsman pulled away and sat up. 

"I wanted to give you something else, too, but I wanted this other one to be more... private," Tinker said, blushing a little. 

Runaan blushed in response. "Oh?" 

"I know this is new for both of us, the relationship and everything, and I know I just made you a bowblade and everything, but I wanted this to be special." 

Runaan blushed darker. "O-oh...?" He was so wrapped up in the more... potentially adult interpretation... to notice Tinker pulling a necklace out of his shirt pocket.

Tinker held it up so Runaan could see it in the moonlight. "It's a special pendant," he said. "It can disguise you and your teammates as the surrounding woods. Just in case you ever need some illusion magic and the full moon isn't available." 

Runaan held the pendant in his hand, examining it. "It's beautiful." 

"And I have one too," Tinker said, holding up a matching pendant. "In case anything happens, knock on wood," he added, rapping his knuckles on his wooden bedframe.

"How do you perform the spell?" 

"You crush it in your hand, throw the powder and all the crushed bits over everyone you want to be disguised and say ' _Mystica Arbora_.' Then you guys turn into things of the forest, like trees and bushes and stuff." 

"This will definitely be useful," Runaan said. "But at the same time, I hope I never have to use it." 

Tinker smiled and set his pendant on the bedside table before gently pushing Runaan back onto his back. "You still have a few more things to work on, kissing-wise," he siad, leaning in and pressing his lips to Runaan's. 

Runaan grinned and kissed back. "Love you, Anávo. So much." 

"Love you too, Moonlight." 

 

~~~~~~~

 

The End

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm both kind of sad and happy that this is done. 
> 
> I'll be honest, I was really hesitant to write this at first because I was worried that someone else would be writing a similar fic and I was worried that mine wouldn't be as good. The Dragon Prince fandom is still new, but fanfic writers can jump and latch onto a specific thing really fast and produce content just as quick. 
> 
> I'm also really happy for all the kudos and comments that this has gotten and I really do appreciate it. Seeing people enjoy my work really makes my day. 
> 
> Thank you all so much for reading, I really hoped you enjoyed it.


End file.
